This application is based on application No. 2000-033367 filed in Japan, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to copying machines, and in particular, to a copying machine provided with an automatic top-bottom recognizing function for automatically recognizing the top-bottom direction of the original.
In a copying machine of this type, the top-bottom direction of an original image is automatically recognized by using the read image data of the original. Then, each original image is rotated as the need arises so that the top-bottom directions of the output images become directed in a specified direction, and the obtained output images are formed on sheets (copy output).
However, the current technical level has not yet reached the stage in which the top-bottom directions of originals of all kinds can be correctly recognized. It is considerably difficult to automatically recognize the top-bottom direction of an original such as, in particular, a photographic original that has no text letter. Therefore, it is often the case where the recognition of the top-bottom direction is failed to disadvantageously cause a state of the incorrect top-bottom direction of the output image.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved copying machine or the like capable of solving the problems as mentioned above. Another object of the present invention is to provide a copying machine or the like capable of consistently direct the top-bottom directions of output images in a specified direction by supplementing an automatic top-bottom recognizing process of an original image by human determination.
In order to achieve the above object, there is provided a copying machine comprising:
a discriminating section for discriminating on the basis of information of an image of an original a top-bottom direction of the image;
a display section for displaying the image of the original when the discriminating section fails in discriminating the top-bottom direction of the image;
an interface for receiving information that is inputted by an operator and is relevant to the top-bottom direction of the image of the original displayed in the display section;
a rotation processing section that rotates or does not rotate the image of the original so that the top-bottom directions of images to be outputted become consistent according to a result of discrimination of the discriminating section and the information inputted via the interface; and
an image forming section for forming on a sheet an image outputted from the rotation processing section.
Also, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising:
an input section for inputting image data;
a discriminating section for discriminating on the basis of inputted image data a process to which the image data should be subjected;
a display for displaying an image represented by the image data when the discriminating section fails in the discrimination;
an interface for receiving information that is inputted by an operator and is relevant to the process to which the image displayed on the display should be subjected; and
an image processing section for processing the image data according to a result of discrimination of the discriminating section and the information inputted via the interface.
Also, there is provided an image processing method comprising the steps of:
inputting image data;
discriminating on the basis of inputted image data a top-bottom direction of an image represented by the image data;
displaying the image represented by the image data on a display when the discrimination results in failure in the discriminating step;
receiving information that is inputted by an operator and is relevant to the top-bottom direction of the image displayed on the display; and
rotating or not rotating the image so that the top-bottom directions of images to be outputted become consistent by processing the image data according to a result of discrimination in the discriminating step and inputted information in the receiving step.